Hayley Wickenheiser
Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser is considered one of the best female hockey players in the world. A decorated Olympian, she led her team to four gold and one silver medal and was named the tournaments’ most valuable player in both 2002 and 2006. At the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Hayley was selected to be the flag bearer for Team Canada in the Opening Ceremonies, where it was also announced that she had been elected to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Athletes Commission.
In 2019, Haley was inducted into Canada’s Hockey Hall of Fame. She has also been named one of the “Top 25 Toughest Athletes in the World” by Sports Illustrated; has been a two-time finalist for the Women’s Sports Foundation Team Athlete of The Year; was twice named among The Globe and Mail’s “Power 50” influencers in sport; and included in QMI Agency’s Top 10 “Greatest Female Athletes in the History of Sports”. In 2014, she was appointed to the Order of Canada for her achievements as an athlete and her contributions to the growth of the women’s game.
While making hockey history, Hayley was also studying medicine at the University of Calgary, where she completed her studies in 2021 to become a medical doctor. During the pandemic, she launched a drive to collect much needed personal protection equipment (PPE) for front-line workers across Canada, in alignment with the group, ConquerCOVID19. Her weekly drive was amplified by political leaders, an army of volunteers, as well as prominent Canadian voices, such as Ryan Reynolds.